Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:185-190
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
Cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems among school-age children of alcoholic parents
LA Bennett, SJ Wolin and D Reiss
Department of Anthropology, Memphis State University, TN 38152.
Sixty-four children from 37 families with an alcoholic parent were compared
with 80 children from 45 families that did not have an alcoholic parent on
measures of intelligence, cognitive achievement, psychological and physical
disorders, impulsivity-hyperactivity, social competence, learning problems,
behavior problems, and self-esteem. On nine of 17 tests, the children of
alcoholic parents scored less well than did the children of nonalcoholic
parents, although both were within normal ranges. Factor analysis yielded
significant differences between the two samples in emotional functioning
and cognitive abilities and performance; marginally significant differences
were found with respect to behavior problems.
